Self-cleaning nozzles



Oct. 26, 1965 G. L. N. MEYER SELF-CLEANING NOZZLES Original Filed March 30. 1960 FIEE United States Patent 3,214,102 SELF-CLEANING NOZZLES George L. N. Meyer, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Geo.

J. Meyer Manufacturing Co., Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Continuation of application Ser. No. 18,700, Mar. 30, 1960. This application Sept. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 310,718

1 Claim. (Cl. 239-107) This invention relates to nozzles for delivery of liquids and more particularly to a nozzle that will both maintain itself clean from lime or magnesium deposits and which will eject foreign material automatically that might otherwise cause clogging of the nozzle.

This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 18,700, filed March 30, 1960, now abandoned.

In the process of washing bottles commercially in a bottle washing machine, the bottles are admitted to the machine and run through a series of tanks containing caustics which clean the bottles. The bottles are then run through a series of fresh-water tanks which rinse out the caustics and deliver the bottles to a set of rotating brushes.

In order to augment the action of the caustics, the nozzles are mounted on a header with the nozzles aligning with the axes of the bottles. As the bottles pass over the sprays the caustic solution is pumped through the nozzles and enters the bottles, loosening dirt, cigarette butts, etc., and flushing them out 'of the bottles. This foreign matter returns to the caustic tank and despite filtering, some of the foreign particles invariably return through the pump and reach the nozzles. With equipment heretofore used to spray bottles the foreign matter caused stoppage of flow through the nozzles necessitating stopping the machine in order to clean individual nozzles.

When the nozzles are used either for pre-rinsing or for final rinsing, the lime and magnesium salts build up on the nozzles in use, shutting off the flow of pre-rinse water and frequently causing shutdown of the machine to remove the deposits from the nozzles.

It is an object of this invention to provide a nozzle the operation of which will not be affected by the presence of lime or magnesium in the water passing through the nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nozzle the operation of which will not be affected by the presence of foreign matter in the liquid passing through the nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nozzle which will more effectively clean dirt and foreign matter from bottles than nozzles now in use.

A further object is to provide a nozzle which will maintain itself free of lime and magnesium salts during operation.

A still further object is to provide a nozzle to spray bottles, or the like, in which the axis of the stream produced by the nozzle varies constantly.

Still further objects will become apparent upon considering the following specification, which when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates a preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a typical header showing two nozzles therein and illustrating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the assembled nozzle;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-section of the nozzle tip per se, taken on a line 44 of FIG. 5;

3,214,102 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 FIG. 5 is an exploded view partly in cross-section of the nozzle assembly; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the nozzle shown in FIG. 1, showing it expanded by the flow of liquid through it.

Referring to the drawings, the header 10 may be made any convenient shape and extend from one side of the washing machine to the other. The upper side of the header 10 is provided with a series of tapped holes 11, opposite each line of bottle pockets, which receive the threaded shank 14 of a nipple 12.

The nipple 12 is provided with a flow conduit 30 extending therethrough and a hexagonal head 13 formed integrally at the upper end of the threads 14 to enable the nipple to be screwed into the threaded aperture 11 in the header.

A cylindrical extension 15 is formed on the upper side of the head 13. The extension 15 on the top of the lgead 13 is formed with an annular recess 16 about the ase.

A rubber nozzle tip 18 is formed with cylindrical sides 19 terminating at the lower end and an annular inwardlyextending collar 20 fitting within the recess 16 to secure the nozzle tip 18 in place on the cylindrical extension 15. An annular metal ring 22 fits snugly over the exterior of the nozzle tip 18 when it is in position on the extension 15 to secure the nozzle tip 18 assembled with the nipple 12.

The top of the nozzle tip 18, likewise made of soft rubber and substantially conical in shape as shown at 24, has an upwardly extending rectangular piece 25 intersecting the conical top 24. The rectangular piece 25 is provided with a split portion 27 extending through the nozzle tip to form a discharge passage for the liquid being pumped. Nozzle 18 is also provided with an internal chamber 31 adjacent collar 20 as shown in FIG. 4.

A recess 29 is provided in the rectangular piece 25 to permit Water pressure to readily open the split portion 27 into a nozzle opening 27' and allow liquid to flow through the nozzle. As liquid flows through the opening 27 the liquid contacting the edges of the opening causes the opening to change shape. These changes cause slight variations in the axis of the stream and result in what may be termed a non-stable stream.

Operation In the operation of the nozzle when used as a fresh Water rinse or as a pre-rinse the fresh water may be used intermittently so that there is alternate pressure and withdrawal of pressure. When the pressure is reduced the opening 27 closes. During the inactive periods lime or magnesium salts have a tendency to deposit and dry on the exterior of the nozzle. However, when water is again ejected from the nozzle the rubber expands and, in expanding, breaks the crust of lime and the flow of Water is able to flush it away.

In the operation of the nozzle when used as a caustic spray, the caustic is circulated constantly from the caustic soaker tank through the nozzle into the bottle. As pressure builds up the water enters the recess 29 forcing open the slit 27. The stream emerging from the opening 27 varies the shape of the opening due to the flexible nonsymmetric nature of the opening, giving a non-stable stream the axis of which varies constantly.

This non-stable stream entering the inverted neck of the bottle impinges over substantially the entire interior of the bottle. Should any foreign matter, such as cigarette or cigar butts, cellophane, etc. be in the bottle, the caustic stream would free it from the glass and would tend to flush it out the depending neck. Should the foreign matter fail to pass out of the bottle by flushing the solution would tend to rise in the bottle, increasing the air pressure trapped in the body of the bottle to force the foreign matter out the neck of the bottle under the increased pressure.

Should the pump at any time pick up such solid matter as a cigarette butt or a cigarette filter, paper, cellophane, etc. which would normally form an obstruction in a metal nozzle, the rubber Will expand under the liquid pressure and permit the obstruction to pass through and continue flow of liquid through the nozzle.

Having thus described the invention it will be realized that the embodiment shown is to be taken merely as a preferred form thereof, and that various changes in size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

I claim:

High pressure spray apparatus for a bottle washing machine comprising:

a header adapted to contain washing fluid under pressure and having a plurality of openings therein for discharging washing fluid therethrough;

a plurality of nipple members mounted in said openings, each of said nipple members having a flow conduit extending therethrough and an annular recess formed on the exterior thereof;

a nozzle member of flexible material mounted on each of said nipple members, each said nozzle member having a top portion with a substantially conical external surface which tapers to an upwardly extending rectangular piece having a slit opening therethrough and a recess therein to permit internal fluid pressure to readily open said slit opening to allow fluid to flow therethrough, said nozzle further having an internal chamber formed at the inlet end thereof and positioned adjacent the outlet ofsaid flow con.- duit in said nipple member so that fluid under pressure flowing through said flow conduit will pass from said conduit into said internal chamber and then through said recess and out through said slit opening so that the flow of liquid from said internal chamber and recess through said slit will constantly vary the shape of the slit opening to produce a non-stable stream of liquid therethrough for washing bottles; and

an annular ring member for each of said nozzle members adapted to fit snugly over said'nozzle members adjacent the annular recess thereon to secure said nozzles on said nipples.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,554 1/13 Champion 222-490 2,061,124 11/36 Walther 222-490 2,175,052 10/39 Bull 222-490 2,296,715 9/ 42 Komar 239-602 2,338,888 1/44 Wiegand 239-534 2,569,073 9/51 Robinson 222-490 2,667,992 2/54 Hammond et al. 222-490 2,753,091 7/56 Herzig 222-491 FOREIGN PATENTS 891,524 9/ 5 3 Germany. 680,750 7/5 1 Great Britain.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. 

